Straps

The strap is often seen just as an extra to a watch. Not in our eyes. We are of the opinion that the design and quality manufacture of a strap is as important as the watch itself and with strap change becoming as easy as it now is, anyone can team colours and fabrics to complement any selection of clothing.

The strap is often seen just as an extra to a watch. Not in our eyes. We are of the opinion that the design and quality manufacture of a strap is as important as the watch itself and with strap change becoming as easy as it now is, anyone can team colours and fabrics to complement any selection of clothing.

Vulcain 1947 Heritage Replica

Regular followers of the Page and Cooper blog will know that all of our chosen brands have fascinating histories and stories to tell. None more so than Vulcain.

Ever since 1858, yes that's right 1858, Vulcain have been designing and creating unique and fascinating timepieces, and we are pleased that the brand appears in many watch aficionado's collections.

Only recently a Vulcain appeared in the Financial Times watch supplement (September 2016) as a highlight in Christies recent Geneva auction.

Working as closely as we do with our watch craftsmen, sometimes exchanging conversation as they painstakingly build yet another Page and Cooper special at the bench, we hear of fascinating opportunities for our genuinely interested watch enthusiasts.

One of our good friends at Vulcain, Thibaut (you can see his interview here) mentioned that one of his senior and longstanding colleagues at Le Locle (Vulcain headquarters) had come across some watch components from a long forgotten and we believe, subsequently cancelled, project from the late 1960's.

We have reclaimed these pristine components and will rename the watch which Vulcain will now build, the 1947 Heritage Replica.

The year 1947 was a milestone year for Vulcain, marking as it did, the introduction of the 'Cricket', the world's first mechanical alarm wristwatch presented to U.S. Presidents from that year to this.

In the late 1960’s, Vulcain conceived the re-issue of 200 original 1947 President's 'Cricket' alarm watches. They remade the beautiful original cases, elegant long case lugs, 33.5mm cases in 925 Silver and not stainless steel, together with the original resonating case-backs. Beautiful silver dials with gold applied indices and numerals were recreated and a blue alarm setting track. There were matching gold hands made to the correct size and style and these were, as you would expect, finished by hand.

However, and for whatever reason, the project never got off the ground and the components languished unseen and forgotten for nearly 50 years.

Knowing of our passion for vintage watches, our good friends at Vulcain told us the story of the abandoned project and with our help and support, we were able to reassemble just 30 pieces of this intended special edition. The hallmarked case backs are in fact numbered as a series of 200 but complete components for only 30 watches were available.

And so, the 1947 Heritage Replica has been assembled as a private collection of just 30 pieces. At the time of this blog more than 20 have been snapped up globally by Vulcain aficionados, collectors and enthusiasts. Each watch carries a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Gervais Voisard of Vulcain.

At Page and Cooper we have just 5 of these very special watches. 1 is provisionally reserved so there are 4 in stock, available and ready to ship. These unique watches can never be repeated so, if you want one, act without delay and get in touch to avoid disappointment.